BOBBY ROSS AT VMI'S GRADUATION

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 17, 1993                   TAG: 9303170136
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press and staff reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
BOBBY ROSS AT VMI'S GRADUATION
Bobby Ross, coach of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, will speak at VMI's commencement on May 22, the institute announced Tuesday.
Ross, a 1959 graduate of VMI, lettered in football, baseball and basketball. In football he played quarterback and defensive back and was a member of the Keydets' undefeated 1957 team. After receiving his degree in history, he spent two years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.
In his first year as an NFL head coach this past season, Ross led San Diego to an 11-5 record and the AFC West championship. He was voted NFL coach of the year by the Professional Football Writers Association.
He joined the Chargers after five years at Georgia Tech, where he led the Yellow Jackets to a national championship in 1990. He also spent five years at Maryland and five at The Citadel.
In other college sports:
Ferrum finished third in the eight-team Barton College Invitational golf tournament at Wilson (N.C.) Country Club. Barton College won, shooting rounds of 324 and 236 for a 650 total over the par-72, 6,774-yard course. Christopher Newport was second at 327-332-659, and Ferrum finished at 338-329-667. The medalist was Patrick Hobbs of Barton College (80-77-157), and Mike Harvey of Christopher Newport was second (78-80-158). Ferrum's Matt Jordan was sixth at 85-77-162, and Stewart Smith was seventh at 80-83-163. The Panthers' R.J. Weaver shot rounds of 84 and 82 for a 166, and J.J. Derman had an 89 and 87 for a 176.
Virginia Tech's games at James Madison on Tuesday and at Western Carolina today have been canceled because of snow.
William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock has signed a new five-year contract, athletic director John Randolph said. Laycock, 45, has a record of 81-64-2 record during his 13-year tenure and has guided the Division I-AA Tribe to postseason play five of the past seven years. The 81 victories are the most by any coach in the 100-year-old program. Terms of the contract were not announced. W&M, an independent since leaving the Southern Conference after the 1976 season, begins play next season in the Yankee Conference.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB